An approach to managing personnel across cultures is outlined. A framework is provided to help the supervisor become aware of beliefs and values that underlie the workplace preferences of managers in the United States and of other cultures. It integrates research in anthropology, cross-cultural psychology, and international business management. An introductory section defines terms and gives an overview of the framework, which proposes seven fundamental dilemmas that people of all cultures face at work: source of identity (individual/collective); goals and means of achievement (tough/tender); orientation to authority (equal/unequal); response to ambiguity (dynamic/stable); means of knowledge acquisition (active/reflective); perspective on time (scarce/plentiful); and outlook on life (doing/being). Subsequent sections further define each dilemma as a continuum of attitude and offer examples of contexts in which they arise. Examples of differing cultural responses to the dilemmas, corresponding to points on the continuum, are offered. The examples focus on workplace issues but also refer to some non-vocational contexts. A final section offers specific suggestions for applying the framework in workplace situations by informally creating, testing, and revising hypotheses about intercultural interactions, with the objective of better cultural understanding. Contains 33 references. (MSE)